Eagle
by Catsi563
Summary: My father told me stories of long ago when man and animal were one and man was nearly destroyed. Sasuke Uchiha is a lonely man who must find his heart with help of his friends and a mysterious woman. NaruSaku SasuKarin as youve never seen them before
1. Prologue: Tales from long ago

**Eagle**

A SasuKarin story

Prologue: Tales from long ago

* * *

_They came flying from far away, now I'm under their spell_

_I love hearing the stories that they tell_

_~Abba_

_

* * *

_My father once told me stories of a time long ago; a time when people lived in harmony with the land and sea and sky, and the beasts, and the birds. They would speak to them, and the land and animals would speak back.

The animals would impart tales from far away, and wisdom about living in harmony with nature. People would take only what they needed from the land and beasts, and nothing was wasted. The animals and birds also taught people the ability to change into one of them. For it was only in that way that man and beast could truly understand each other. Those were good days my father said, all the while he would smile his bright smile and his blue eyes would twinkle happily.

Then they would darken and grow serious like the clouds rolling in before a storm, and his smile would dim sadly. Then he would tell how people grew greedy and covetous. How it was no longer enough to live in harmony with nature, and people sought to take more than they needed, and wasted that which they could not use immediately. The beasts were saddened and horrified as people turned on each other, as they looked on their neighbors with covetous eyes, and used their ability to change forms to wage war on one another, and much blood was shed as men turned into beasts fought savage battles over resources that could be had by all.

And so the beasts called out to the land and the great spirits that ruled all of nature.

"_Save us!" _They cried. "_Save us from the madness that is man! He has taken our gifts and turned them to bloodshed! He no longer lives in harmony! Now he only seeks destruction!"_

And The Great Spirits heard their calls, and felt the despair in their voices. And lo The Great Spirits answered. With a frightful roaring and howling the winds blew and the earth shook; and the homes of men were destroyed. And with a crashing the waves and rivers rose and swept and flooded all before them. And those who had the ability to change form suffered most of all, for they found that they had become animals permanently, and their families and friend and kin no longer recognized them, and they could not speak to them because to their horror they found that men could not understand their speech anymore. But furthermore those who were human found they could not change at all anymore and they despaired for it seemed Nature had forsaken them and humanity was doomed.

And just as it looked like all was lost and people would be scoured from the earth.

"_A miracle occurred." _My mother would join in the telling, with her smile as warm as my fathers and her soft pink hair as bright as the cherry blossoms in the spring. Her emerald eyes bright with love as she looked at me and my father who looked back at her the same way.

She would then tell me about a great eagle who fell in love with a human girl. A beautiful young woman with bright red hair and a fiery nature that he could appreciate being as it matched his own fiery being. But he despaired because though he had always liked humanity, he too had seen the problems that humanity had caused, and he knew the Spirits were unyielding in their wrath.

Yet his love was strong and he did not want to see her perish, nor be unable to understand her, or not share the freedom of the sky with her like he did. So he prayed to the spirits for mercy for her, and for humanity. For a long time it seemed as if his prayers would go unanswered, and the disasters plaguing man continued. But just as his despair grew and he called out to her in his loudest cry, the waters receded, and the winds died down and the earth calmed its shaking, and the madness of the beasts was lessened.

"_You shall have your mercy." _The spirits spoke to him "_But know this…"_ They intoned in a voice that darkened the sky, and he grew fearful as they continued. _"…There is a price to be paid." _

"_Man has violated the covenants and thus is to be denied the Gift of the Wild." _the Great Spirits intoned, and he despaired for it meant his love would be forever bound to the earth and would not know his heart. "_But if she can find it within her heart to love you as you love her, we will reconsider. We will judge her heart and if it be pure then we will grant her the gift of the wild. And your children will have this gift and their children and so on, and thus will people slowly regain the Gift of the Wild should they prove themselves worthy." _

The great eagle was elated for this meant he would have the chance to confess his love to the beautiful red headed woman. But day after day as he flew to her and sang his love for her; he grew sadder for she could not understand his cries, and though she found him beautiful she could only see the bird of prey that he was. Until that is one day a man came, and this man also wanted the young woman for his own. And here I would see my mothers warm sea green eyes become hard and angry only for them to soften as my father would pull her to him and sooth her anger with his kisses and hugs as he whispered sweet nothings too her before taking the story back over for her.

He decided he would give the young woman a gift and he wounded the eagle with his bow. But this infuriated the young woman and she sent him away. She cried then, for she saw that the eagle that sang to her each day was terribly wounded. She became determined to save him, and did everything she could to care for him. She fed him bits of meat and fish that she caught herself and wrapped his wounds in soft bandages. And day after day it seemed to be no help for the Eagle was in despair and he could see the sadness in her eyes and he would chirp softly to her telling her to not be sad for it hurt him so.

But she could not understand him. Then one day as it seemed he would waste away from the despair she held him close to her bosom and whispered to him softly "_Don't leave me alone my beautiful Eagle, please don't leave. Stay and sing for me and I'll always listen to you for I love you and I would be alone if you left me." _

And then she cried for she felt the life leave his small body and her despair was great. But Lo, The Great Spirits had been watching and they looked into her heart and they found her worthy, and they spoke to her.

"_Despair not child…" _They whispered softly. "_Know that the Wild is harsh and can be cruel, but it is not as cruel as that." _And she was stunned for before her eyes the Eagles proud chest began to move and his fierce heart beat once more, and his blazing eyes opened and he cried a loud cry of joy and called to her. And lo her eyes widened in shock for now she understood him. And she found that before her stood not an eagle for slowly his form changed and he knew, he knew that they had judged her worthy and that she too was marked with "the gift". Together they were married and as they proclaimed their love for each other they felt the unbridled joy surge through them as their forms shifted and changed and they both took to the sky with cries of joy. High above the land they soared. Many children did they have some born human, some born Eagle, but all had "the gift". For true to his word the Eagle and his red headed love taught them all to respect the land and live in harmony with all living things.

And each generation is judged by the Spirits to make sure that the new covenant is not broken. It has been a long time since then, and the time of judgment will come again soon. When an eagle and a human will be judged together and if they're hearts be pure, then will they're love be eternal.

Then they would smile and kiss me on the forehead, and tuck me into bed before saying "Goodnight" and "We love you angel." And I would smile back and tell them I loved them too before snuggling under the covers and going to sleep. My dreams each night would be of wings and flying higher into the sky until I could touch the moon, or I would dream of running on all fours as the wind whispered to me through the trees. And in this way I would miss my parent's eyes glowing softly in the dark as they watched me till I fell asleep before closing my door quietly.

-ooOoo-

"You tell that story too well." Sakura smiled at him as Naruto embraced her from behind and gently nuzzled her neck affectionately.

"Only because you're there to tell it with me…" He mumbled softly into her neck the vibrations of his voice and his warm breath sending a pleasant shudder down her spine.

"What do you think she's dreaming of?"The rosette whispered softly as she turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around him before her lips softly closed with his in a long passionate kiss.

"What else?" he smiled softly at her and she chuckled knowingly.

"Do you think it well happen again soon?" She looked at him and her eyes were worried.

"Of course it will." He smiled brilliantly at her the same heart warming smile which had drawn her to him oh so long ago. Her heartbeat quickened as he caressed his hands through her mid-back length pink hair, but her worries for their children would not go away so easily.

"But how do you know…" She began only to have him cut her off as he kissed her and she moaned softly before he pulled back his blue eyes all but glowing in the moonlight.

"Because we did, didn't we?" he smiled again a much softer and warmer smile, and looked her in the eyes as he spoke again. "I've loved you all of my life."

Sakura felt her heart clench and go tight with love for him before she laughed softly a sound like a wind chime "You're a dork…" she began and laughed some more as he pouted childishly "But you're sweet too." She finished with a soft kiss which he eagerly returned as if she were a well spring of infinite pleasure from which he could never draw enough water. Then she looked out the window and smirked as he saw where she was looking.

The curtains fluttered and a pair of eagles winged their way into the night soaring high over the land riding on the breeze higher and higher. As the land changed beneath them from mountains stretching their great stone hands to meet the sky, to deep green forests rich with life, to the vast ocean and out over the waters they flew.

Together they flew for they were one always and forever and their joy knew no bounds because their love connected them as surely as the roots of a great tree and they cried to each other calling their love to one another over the winds as they flew onward.

Ever onward.

**To be continued**


	2. Chapter 1: A dream of an eagle

**Eagle**

A SasuKarin story

* * *

Chapter 1: A dream of an eagle

_They've seen places beyond my land and they've found new horizons_

_They speak strangely but I understand_

_~Abba_

* * *

High above the earth a lone eagle soared, her heart beating fast and furious as she exhilarated in the joy and unfettered freedom of flight. She spread her wings, and with a cry of unmitigated joy allowed the thermal that rose up from the wide earth below to carry her higher into the bright blue sky. Her bright red feathers contrasted her to many of her kin but she didn't care about such things. To her they were a bold statement of identity. She was what she was and that was all that mattered to her.

Trimming her wings back a little she adjusted to the thermo-draft as it began to end. Then just as the warm air changed to cold she flapped her wings and with rapid powerful beats she raced across the sky covering an enormous distance. Far below the mountains gave way to the wide rolling plains of tall green grass that was where her home used to be before the people came. She pushed down the stab of pain in her heart at the memory of her mothers cries to her to fly away and be safe. Quickly she shoved down the memory. She wouldn't allow herself to become entrapped by that pain again; instead she only flapped her wings faster and faster as if she were desperate to escape. As if the memories were a great predator that chased her down when she wasn't flying, and sometimes even when she was.

Soon enough the plains of grass turned into wide patties of rice, and from there into the broad sweeping green of the land of fire as its inhabitants called it. Trees, trees everywhere as far as the eye could see crisscrossed by rivers and several lakes. A land as varied and wild as the animals that populated the forests floor and the branches of the great tall trees that reached for the sky. Crying loudly she announced her presence to the land.

As her sleek shadow crossed over the land, her razor keen eye saw small animals freeze then bolt for cover while larger animals noted her presence but with little concern as they were too large for her to eat. She flexed her razor sharp talons and laughed at them all as she flew overhead, her mirth carried over the wind as off in the distance the bright city of Konohagkure came into view. The city exited her with its many sights and smells and sounds, and though she was wary of the many people there still she would risk it to see those many sights. In all her flights over the wide and varied lands, from the shifting brown sands and golden savannahs of the land called Suna, to the wide open oceans and misty islands of Kiri; she had never seen as many bright and varied sights that Konoha offered her.

Spreading her wings she caught the first hints of the temperature changes over the city. Instinctively she flared her primary feathers and caught the thermal updraft riding it as effortlessly as a fish swam the seas. She laughed gaily as she flew over a group of people running to and fro on a wide green field.

Circling once she eyed their movements curiously before flying onwards out over the forest. As she soared high over the roof of the trees; a hint of movement below her caught her eyes, and as she focused her razor keen eyesight a snake came into view slithering along a tree branch. Her crystal clear eyes followed the reptile with a mild curiosity. As she vacillated over whether to continue on, or to dive on the unsuspecting prey; the rumbling of her stomach decided her, and with a simple adjustment of her wings she began a slow circle before suddenly knifing down like a lightning bolt to strike her prey.

-ooOoo-

Slashing across the ground like a lightning bolt Uchiha, Sasuke took the pass from his ever energetic teammate Rock Lee before deftly sidestepping his opponents attempt to intercept him. A few short kicks later the crowd at the field erupted as with a flourish Sasuke used his knee to bounce the ball off his persistent opponents head before doing a leaping lion's kick which sent the black spotted ball past the outstretched hands of the diving goalie and into the net for the winning score. Smirking slightly Sasuke offered his hand to the stunned Ash player who glared for a moment while rubbing his head before taking his hand and allowing himself to be helped up, after a brief shake and a nod of respect.

As he looked back Sasuke was mobbed by his fellow Leaf teammates. Choji scooped him up onto his broad shoulder as easily as if he weighed nothing, the burly Akimichi and team goalie standing head and shoulders over his team cheered loudly. He had as much right to cheer as anyone; His amazing quickness for such a large, strong person made it seem as if he could grow his limbs in order to stop opponents from scoring. Off to the side He shared a knowing look with Shikamaru, the lazy Nara just shook his head before trudging off the field the whole idea of celebrating being too troublesome for his tastes in spite of the fact that it was his brilliant strategies and technically flawless play that had lead them to the victory in the first place. Ever energetic the lightning fast Rock Lee stood to the side, face to face with their head coach Maito Gai. The duo was shouting in stereo about the power of youth overcoming all, and praising Sasuke and their team for its great skill and determination; behind them the sun seemed to gleam with a golden glow highlighting their team love fest in brilliant colors. On Choji's other shoulder sat one of the two female members of their team. Ten-Ten let loose a loud cheer and high fived Sasuke over Choji's head. As far as Sasuke was concerned she should have gotten more praise then him also, as she was as instrumental in the championship as anyone of them with her lethally accurate kicks and well timed passes, as well as her absurd speed which was second only to Lees. Heck even Yamanaka, Ino; platinum blond, blue eyed and gorgeous as a model was equally responsible. Her skills were as flawless as Shikamaru's and her strategies as innovative as anyone's, combined with her killer good looks which she used with great effectiveness—more than one opponent had been caught staring at her figure rather then the ball—she made sure they were undefeated throughout the season and playoffs.

As he was carried off the field in victory Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed. He wasn't really big on self aggrandizement, and thus like Shikamaru tended to keep things low key. As far as he was concerned it had been a team effort and he had merely played his part. Still as he looked up into the stands and saw his mother waving happily at him he couldn't help but smile and wave in return. A smile which faltered as his father stood by with a stern and disapproving look on his face before turning and walking away. Inwardly cursing Sasuke wondered if his stern father would ever give him the satisfaction of acknowledging his own accomplishments, or if he'd continue to compare him to—and blame him for—his older brother Itachi, and Itachi's sudden disappearance. It was as if nothing he did was ever good enough to meet the standards his genius older brother had set.

It wasn't as if Uchiha, Sasuke hadn't earned his own way or anything. He'd been called one of the brightest students of the Leaf Cities premiere College, always getting the best grades, a member of the schools martial arts club, and captain of the soccer, and baseball teams. He'd even taken up a hobby of playing the guitar. His mother of course supported him unconditionally but his father only ever seemed to be in a constant state of disapproval when he was even home and not working. Sasuke scoffed inwardly. The only reason Uchiha, Fugaku had even shown up was because today was the championship game, and he'd spent most of it on the phone. Some special project that The Uchiha Corporation had started and it was taking up most of his time, his mother Mikoto had told him understanding and worry in equal measure written all over her beautiful face. In many ways she made bearing the burden of his fathers scorn bearable. If Itachi was his father's favorite then surely Sasuke was his mothers, as she doted on him and spent as much time as she could with him. He was shaken free of such thoughts as a hand slapped him upside the head and a loud female voice told him to get his head out of the clouds.

"Come on slowpoke even Shikamaru's almost done showering get a move on or you won't get any of the victory buffet!" Tenten admonished him.

Grunting at her he nodded and rushed into the boy's locker room where he quickly finished showering and changing into a pair of casual slacks and the green and orange team colored polo shirts they had all gotten for just such occasions. Stepping back he took a brief moment to look at himself in the mirror. Onyx eyes as black as shadow and as deep the night looked back at him from a smooth aquiline face. Handsome features and a swept back black hairstyle resembling the tail feathers of a bird of prey gave him a proud countenance which had, had more than one young woman swooning, or doing anything possible to get his attentions.

But to no avail; simply put he had never found anyone who had the combination of looks, brains, and the temperament that he wanted in a woman. The closest he had ever found had been a former highschool friend of his Haruno, Sakura. She'd had the best grades, and was beautiful, athletic, and studious making her one of the top students in the school. She'd even had a crush on him for a while, but he could tell even as she pursued him that it was more a crush of admiration than anything serious, and it was nothing next to the feelings she would show later on for Naruto. Even if he had been interested, once she had met and fallen in love with that guy it was all over, and man wasn't that a love story for the ages?

He made to leave and meet up with Choji who would be driving them all to his family's restaurant. All the while he shook his head bemusedly at the memory of fireworks the likes of which were only seen in New Year's festivals. Sakura he recalled had a temper and a half on her that could be scary beyond belief, and she was far stronger than she looked. More than one guy had found himself on the end of her wicked right cross for pissing her off. Chuckling to himself he shook his head as Shikamaru looked questioningly at the bemused smirk on his face before muttering troublesome.

Uzumaki, Naruto; a name no one would soon forget. The blond idiot had blown into school on the tail end of their junior year like some insane tornado, and blown them all away, literally as well as figuratively. His sheer force of personality and raw animal charisma had made him as many friends as it had enemies, and the blond haired, blue eyed force of nature had quickly set his sights on Sakura the most desired female in the school outside of her best friend and coincidently his other female teammate Ino, who at that moment was squeezing the life out of Shikamaru in a victory hug. The fireworks that had flown between the two had resulted in more than one knockdown drag out fight; but in the end Naruto's fierce determination, and stubborn persistence had won out over his seeming—the term crazy like a fox was thrown around more than once-ignorance, and the dead last student in the school had rapidly changed the opinions of everyone; even his.

It was Sakura though who had changed most of all. Once lacking in confidence and a bit of a bookworm, Naruto's example had pushed her to become more confident, and determined, and to strive harder then ever for her dreams. Naruto had stood by her side through both good times and some bad ones which included the death of her father in an industrial accident. He had even made a selfless attempt to get him to date Sakura by challenging him to multiple contests which had been the beginning of a storied rivalry and a good friendship between the two. The one date he and Sakura had gone on had reinforced just why he and Sakura could never work out as all she talked about during the so called date was Naruto. It was then that Sakura had come to realize what he had known all along. From then on the Rosette haired honor student, and the blond dead last had been inseparable.

Honestly Sasuke shook his head as he wondered just what had brought on the sudden nostalgia for the couple. He hadn't honestly seen either of them since graduation. Sakura and Naruto had been married last he'd heard and were rumored to be running a veterinary clinic and animal rescue shelter with some help from another old classmate Inuzuka, Kiba and his family. Ino apparently kept in touch with the two which was how he had learned of the marriage, and allegedly Sakura giving birth to a child as well. A pair of arms wrapping around him in a bonecrushing hug and a boisterous female voice belonging to the self same blond bombshell shook his head clear of the memories that were threatening to drag him down into a deeper fit of nostalgia as Ino congratulated him, and dragged him bodily into the clean hydrogen fuel running mini-van. The Uchiha fan logo emblazoned boldly on the hood.

As he the doors closed Sasuke caught a hint of movement in the sky and stared fascinated as a bright red eagle soared overhead with a cry that he swore sounded like laughter. Quirking his head he watched as the eagle circled once off in the distance over the forest surrounding the city before suddenly diving downward like a red comet upon some unsuspecting prey. Figuring it had to be his imagination Sasuke merely went back to looking out the window and grunting monosyllabically when anyone asked him something unless the question demanded a more verbose response.

Still his eyes would wander back from time to time and he wondered what it would be like to spread his wings and soar through the skies like a hawk or even like an eagle. He recalled the dreams he had been having lately. Vivid dreams of wings and wind, and far away places, soaring through bright blue skies wing to wing with someone special, but just who he couldn't see, though he could hear her as she called his name over the wind. He would always wake up before the dream progressed any further, but he could feel as if he were getting closer. With each dream a little more of the picture filled itself in some more.

Any further thoughts on the matter were interrupted as he felt himself dragged out by the arm by his teammates and into the Akimichi family eatery. Inwardly Sasuke groaned, he'd probably need to be rolled out of the establishment in a wheelbarrow when he was done. Choji got his culinary skills from his mother, and that woman when she cooked, she cooked. Seeing that only Tenten and Shikamaru shared his trepidation he shrugged at them both in defeat and sat at his place next to Lee who had an eager look upon his face as he challenged Choji to eating contest for the rights to the last slice of cake for dessert.

-ooOoo-

The next day dawned bright and early, birds singing in praise to the coming day. One such early riser stretched her wings in a wide yawn. Carefully preening her red feathers she made sure they were clean and working as nature intended. Finally satisfied she flared her wings out and cried out to the morn before leaping skyward in search of her morning meal.

As she soared over the trees she caught movement in her eyes and decided to study it. Easing over into a nice slow circle she expanded her wings and glided along lazily, all the while her crystal clear vision took in the sight below her.

A human, a boy was moving strangely even for one of his awkward species. She recalled that she'd seen other humans move like this before even recalled bits of the human speech, Tai… something or whatever. She quickly dismissed it as unimportant and landed on a nearby branch as the young male continued to move his body in slow rhythmic movements. She stared fascinated as his hands seemed to push out against the air as if he were swimming through it; watched as the sweat on his body gleamed like dew in the early morning sun. It was almost hypnotic and she stared captivated by the movement for so long that she almost forgot where she was. Humans were not a species she wanted anything to do with considering her past.

But as she made to leave she took a moment to look at his face, and was intrigued at what she saw. Clean almost raptor like lines called to something primal within her. The proud sweep of his aquiline nose and the hair on his head caused a novel warm sensation on her cheeks as she again took in his bare chest and back, the long lean lines of his arms, and the smooth rhythmic way the muscles moved under his skin. These were things she could appreciate as a female of any species; he would clearly make a strong and healthy mate for some human female, and produce strong children. For some reason that thought, the thought of this man with another female did not comfort her at all.

Squawking indignantly she ruffled her feathers and made to leave. What an absurd thought; her with a human? Even if she could…she vaguely recalled something her mother had said long ago but couldn't lock the memory down. Shaking her wings she spread them but before she could leap from her perch he looked at her and as his shining onyx eyes made contact with hers she froze and a feeling as wild and untamed as her first flight blasted through her heart and mind like a bolt of lightning.

_Primary feathers of dark red flew wingtip to wingtip with feathers as black as night. The wind carrying twin cries of joy as they soared high in the starry night, the stars gleaming overhead like a million beacons showing them the way to a special place prepared for their hearts. Those hearts beat fiercely as they flew over the landscape. The force of gravity holding no sway on them as that fierce beating of two hearts in unison lifted them as surely as the winds which filled the feathers of their wings._

"W-who are you…?" she whispered softly knowing he'd never understand her. She wasn't prepared at all when he opened his mouth and with an expression of pure shock on his face spoke back to her. Even more surprising though was the revelation that he could understand her.

It was with the shock of that revelation that she lost her grip on the branch and fell.

-ooOoo-

_Primary feathers of dark red flew wingtip to wingtip with feathers as black as night. The wind carrying twin cries of joy as they soared high in the starry night, the stars gleaming overhead like a million beacons showing them the way to a special place prepared for their hearts. Those hearts beat fiercely as they flew over the landscape. The force of gravity holding no sway on them as that fierce beating of two hearts in unison lifted them as surely as the winds which filled the feathers of their wings, and as he looked at her, her red feathers morphed into long slender pale fingers; Fingers which reached for him as she cried out his name._

"_Sasuke!" she cried as her red lips parted and closed on his before opening and…_

"Sasuke!" the stern female voice jerked him from those red lips and startled him out of his bed to find his mother smirking as she stood over him. "Get up lazy bones!" she snapped. "Your breakfast is ready and you need to do your exercises. This is your schedule remember!" she chastised him before turning on her heel and heading back to the kitchen all the while smiling bemusedly as her youngest son muttered and grumbled while pulling himself out of bed.

Quickly dressing himself Sasuke rushed into the kitchen and snatched up and consuming the egg sandwich his mother had left for him, before rushing out the door and engaging in the intense work out routine he'd set up to keep him in top form. "_Always be the best."_ His Father had drilled into his and Itachi's heads. Only the best make it in the world, only the best achieve their dreams, and Uchiha are the best in the world. Sasuke couldn't help but snort at the absurdity. If only his father had seen Naruto in action he'd sing a different tune. He chuckled at the thought and resumed his exercises.

It was as he was engaging in his cool down Tai-chi routine, that he realized he was being watched. A flash of red in his peripheral vision alerted him first and revealed itself to be a red eagle perched on a nearby branch. It took an act of mental discipline to keep from stumbling as he stepped though the next move in the sequence. The bright red feathers and sleek lines seemed to touch something within him, and he slowed deliberately in his movements the memory of a slender hand reached for him and red lips parted and closed with his as she called out his name. Shaking his had to clear the images he looked over at his audience and took in her appearance. For some reason he just couldn't keep from anthropomorphizing her, and in his mind he saw a sleek and slender body, long red hair, and an attractive face with a slight blush on her cheeks as she watched him cool down and wipe the sweat off his forehead with a towel. As he took a drink of water from a bottle his dark obsidian eyes met hers and he felt a physical reaction.

_Primary feathers of dark red flew wingtip to wingtip with feathers as black as night. The wind carrying twin cries of joy as they soared high in the starry night, the stars gleaming overhead like a million beacons showing them the way to a special place prepared for their hearts. Those hearts beat fiercely as they flew over the landscape. The force of gravity holding no sway on them as that fierce beating of two hearts in unison lifted them as surely as the winds which filled the feathers of their wings._

As his eyes widened, and he tried to process the intense feelings burning through him he heard a soft whisper.

"W-who are you…?" whispered the voice in his head/ears/heart/soul… he didn't really even know.

His eyes were wide as dinner plates and his jaw hanging open snapped shut then opened as he sputtered the only thing he could think of.

"I-I'm Sasuke…"

Her avian eyes widened in shock as big as his and then she stumbled and fell.

**To be continued**


	3. Chapter 2: Of Ramen and Redheads

**Eagle**

A SasuKarin story

Chapter 2: Of Redheads and Ramen

_And I dream I'm an Eagle_

_And I dream I can spread my wings_

_~Abba_

_

* * *

_

"OW! That hurts!" A shrill voice protested as she squirmed in the arms of captor/rescuer.

The red eagle glared her displeasure up at the handsome face of the young human that—in her mind- had caused her to fall off the branch and hurt her wing.

"OW! Don't squeeze so hard! What are you trying to do break my other wing?" She squawked again and would have slapped him about the head with said wing if it weren't wrapped gently in a towel the young man had been carrying with him.

"Well stop squirming and it won't hurt as much!" Sasuke shot back irked as much by the fact that he was being berated by a talking eagle of all things, as the fact that he couldn't really think of a good comeback at the moment.

"Well it's your fault I fell!" She snapped at him feeling particularly contrary at that moment, and also very uncomfortable amongst all the humans around. She had never been this close to any human, much less this one who made her feel such strange fluttering feelings in her stomach when he looked at her with those dark eyes.

Those eyes looked at her and he smirked as he retorted "It wasn't my fault you forgot how to land, right?"

Her eyes gaped wider and she opened her beak as she looked like she wanted to argue the point further, but instead seemed to give in, as if she couldn't come up with a good retort snapping her beak shut with a huff and settled for sulking quietly. Occasionally she would sneak small glances up at him studying his handsome features. She stopped though as any time she did so, her heart would speed up and she would feel that curious warm sensation on her cheeks. She briefly wondered if she were coming down with some type of human illness and shuddered, revolted at the thought, resolving to get away from this strange young human who made her feel so oddly as quickly as she could.

"Well be more careful…" she huffed though her voice was much quieter eliciting a raised eyebrow from him.

"Sorry…" he apologized quietly enough that she almost missed it over the hustle and bustle of the busy Konoha streets.

She looked up at him in surprise, but he had looked away from her and was concentrating on running towards wherever it was he was taking her. She noticed though that he had adjusted his grip so that she was carried a little more comfortably in his arms. Mollified by this somewhat she lowered her head and sniffed the towel that was wrapped around her so carefully. She wanted to commit the scent to memory—_to avoid it like the plague in the future she told herself_—to see if she could understand better this strange human who made her feel so strange.

As Sasuke ran he was followed by the curious stares of the passers by on the streets of Konoha as he raced towards his destination, all of them taking in the odd sight in front of them. A sweaty young man in workout clothes carrying a screeing and squawking red eagle wrapped in a towel, and by turns seeming to argue with the bird as he ran towards an unknown destination. More then a few whispered, and some laughed which only seemed to further his embarrassment, and by proxy his annoyance. This oddly enough distracted him from his own disbelief at the fact that he was carrying a talking eagle in the first place.

Had he been less annoyed and more attentive he might have noticed that no one else could hear the crimson bird of prey's words as more then the cries of a bird.

He also would have noticed that a large black raven in a tree was watching him with an interest that could not be considered entirely normal. The raven watched the young man carrying his crimson burden so gently as he ran. Watching closely as he entered the clinic, the raven preened his obsidian feathers for a moment before cawing loudly and leaping into the air and flying south.

Finally after what seemed like forever, his destination came into view. **"The Inuzuka Animal Rescue and Veterinary Clinic, and Uzumaki Free medical clinic"** He read the bright bold letters on the sign. He wondered if Kiba, or Naruto were even working today it being a Saturday and all. Rushing up to the door he pushed it open and looked around but couldn't see anyone behind the counter.

"Hello! Is anyone here?" he called out. He began to wonder if anyone were there at all when suddenly the eagle snapped her head up with a gasp that had him look at her in surprise. "What is it, is someone there?" he her asked curiously.

"Yes… I think…" she hesitated something familiar seemed to flit through her sense memory. Before they were both interrupted as a small orange kitten poked its head out from behind the desk and looked up at them curiously.

"Well someone's pet is here at least." He remarked as the kitten hid itself behind the counter. Sasuke reached over and rang the bell on the desk twice trying to get someone's attention. He was contemplating going back into the back offices, when a small voice behind the counter caught his attention.

"Hiyas unca Sasuke!" chirped an energetic childlike voice. The owner of the voice was sitting on a tall chair behind the counter and smiling up at him with a bright warm smile that was so familiar he thought he was going crazy. Wild orange hair and a pair of bright oceanic blue eyes peered back at him and the small patient he carried with him.

Still trying to get over the shock of being called "Uncle anything" especially from a small child he'd never met before, he studied the young girl who studied him in return. She was at least two years old maybe three and was clearly able to toddle along well for her age. She was dressed in a small red sundress and child's sandals with stylized kittens on them. But it was her face that caught his attention the most. That round baby face, that distinctive chin, and the nose and eye structure, along with that slightly overlarge forehead, lastly those expressive deep blue eyes and that wide "I got the best ramen ever!" grin and you got…_No, No, No, No. Way_. He repeated the denial in his mind as if it were an incantation to ward off some evil thing. This could only be… He was interrupted as the little girl hopped down from her seat as if she were light as a feather and ran around the counter to embrace him around the leg with a gleeful squeal.

"Did you bring me a present Unca Sasuke?" she looked at the crimson eagle in his arms and stuck her tongue out as she stretched and tried to get a better look. She eeped and leapt backwards—rather nimbly for a toddler—as his passenger hissed at the small child.

"Uh…I…ummmmm." He hesitated and stammered trying to frame an answer for her without sounding like a bigger idiot then he felt he already did. His face burned as the little girl squealed with delightful laughter at the expression on his face which only reddened further in embarrassment. The eagle quizzically looked up at his red face and wondered if he were coming down with the same thing she was feeling.

"Hana?" They were interrupted as a feminine voice called out from the back offices. "Uzumaki, Hana where are you?" Sasuke started again because there was no mistaking that voice.

His eyes widened as someone he hadn't seen for a couple of years now came into view. Long mid-back length hair as pink as the cherry blossoms for which she was named confined in a sensible pony tail swayed behind her, and framed a soft face as beautiful as any he'd ever seen. Bright sea green eyes narrowed as they alighted on the small girl.

"There you are young lady!" She scolded though her voice was somewhat playful. "I've told you before not to run off…" she began but gasped and her jaw nearly dropped as she took in the sight before her.

"Momma its Unca Sasuke!" little Hana gleefully indicated him with her small finger. "And he has a birdy!" she chirped happily.

For a moment the two stood staring at each other as if almost afraid to break the silence when an agitated screeing emanated from the bundle in Sasuke's arms. Sakura's sea foam eyes took in the small form then widened momentarily before she schooled her self into a picture of cool professionalism. It was such a drastic change that Sasuke almost missed it when she spoke to him.

"Follow me Sasuke, and be gentle with her." she spoke softly but with that serious tone in her voice that he recalled her using when she was in Highschool and taking a test. He obeyed almost mechanically as the Eagle in his arms snorted in disdain at the prospect. Still she found she couldn't take her eyes off the pink haired human in front of her, nor the small orange haired child who skipped along at what was clearly her mother's side holding her hand. The two had a scent that was unmistakable.

"There like me…" she whispered softly. She was sure these two were like her; she could smell the wild, sense the freedom of flight on them. She was so confused by the sensations she was feeling that she almost missed it when Sasuke spoke to her softly.

"What do you mean?" he asked, only to have Sakura state over her shoulder

"My office is here." She said indicating the open door. "Take her inside then and leave her there." At his somewhat surprised look she sighed as if she were speaking to a small child. "Go on and move it!" She snapped, he responded to the instinctive tone of command in her voice which as he'd recalled had snapped Naruto to attention more then once. It had coincidentally also proceeded a solid whack to the noggin on more then one occasion when the blond tornado had been particularly recalcitrant or immature. Not desiring a concussion he did as instructed and stepped into the cozy and well decorated office.

As he gently placed the towel wrapped eagle on the soft cushioned couch Sakura had indicated with a small smile, the eagle looked up at him and as if she were chewing her lip and then whispered softly "Thank you…"

Sasuke hummed softly to himself for a moment before smiling gently and responding "You're welcome"

Behind him he didn't notice Sakura smile but before he could turn around the rosette haired young woman spoke. "Out now and don't peek." She ushered him out the door with the implication left unsaid if he didn't obey.

As he sat down in a chair he thought a moment about what he'd seen in the office. Along the wall were a large assortment of books something he'd come to expect from any room Sakura occupied regularly. Also present were several neatly framed medical licenses, and a both her Highschool diploma and a diploma that looked like it was from the Konoha medical school. He was needless to say somewhat floored by the thought of Sakura Haruno as a doctor. While she had always been highly intelligent with only Shikamaru Nara being any smarter, he had never known she harbored ambitions to be a doctor. He was broken from his thought process as he felt a tugging on his arm. Looking down he saw the bright smile of Hana Uzumaki gleaming up at him.

"Can you help me get my juice please Unca Sasuke?" She asked while she gave him a sparkly eyed look akin to a kitten mewing for its food.

It was a look he thought he could ignore. He was wrong, one look at the bright kitten-like face and he promptly found himself holding her hand as she lead him to the breakroom and the fridge where he quickly found a pitcher full of a purple fruit juice which he poured into a brightly colored toad shaped Sippy cup. He then offered the cup to her but she shook her head and pointed to a table with a highchair seated next to it and a plate with a half eaten sandwich on it and a slightly cooling bowl of ramen. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at the memory of Naruto eating bowl, after bowl, after uncountable bowl of the stuff in one sitting at the small Ichiraku ramen stand. The small cozy shack was a local hangout for the Highschool lunch crowd, a place now much expanded into a larger—though still cozy and familiar—space. He was shaken from his musing as again a small hand tugged his.

"Up please!" she chirped brightly while holding her small arms out for him. Somewhat awkwardly he reached down and lifted her up as she squealed gleefully before setting her down in the white and blue highchair with its chibi slugs and toads painted all over it. As she settled in he reached down and snapped the closure on the safety strap which would keep the energetic rug-rat from squirming her way out of her seat.

"So how old are you Hana?" he asked as she hungrily dug into the sandwich with relish, before she took a long drink from her sippy cup to wash down her bite.

She looked at him and with a big smile held up three fingers, and happily chirped. "I'm two!"

He couldn't help chuckling at the childlike innocence and straight forward manner of the reply. Hana merely smiled brightly before taking another bite of her lunch. For a moment he watched fascinated as the orange haired tyke consumed her sandwich—some of which she offered to him, he politely declined-before looking back to where Sakura was working on the strange red eagle he had brought here.

"Don worry Unca Sasuke, Momma's a really, really good doctor, she's even better then Grammama!" Hana chirped happily at his far off expression. "She'll take good care of the birdy!" She nodded with the certainty a child has that their parents will do the amazing. "Can I have more juice Unca Sasuke?" she asked holding up the apparently now empty toad themed sippy cup.

Sighing Sasuke stood and refilled the cup before handing it back to the smiling toddler who thanked him happily before she proceeded to sip some more juice. As he watched Hana finish her lunch he couldn't help but be fascinated by her energy and vitality, so abundant for one so young. It was like watching a miniature Naruto in action he half expected her to pop out of the seat at any moment.

Figuring that she wasn't going anywhere he quietly slipped away as she sang a funny little song while drawing in a coloring book that was on the table within her reach. Making his way down the hallway he stopped outside the door with Sakura's name on it and listened at it trying to hear what was going on. He heard what he thought were muffled voices one arguing, one soothing but he couldn't tell which was which. It wasn't until he heard a soft pop and a what sounded like a gaps of pain that he couldn't wait any longer and threw the door open to a sight which would stay with him too his dying day.

A naked Red head holding her arm in a manner that indicated it was broken, and a shocked Sakura who was holding said arm in a manner that seemed to speak that she had set the bone hence causing the pained reaction.

He was so shocked by the whole scene and red faced on walking into the room with the naked woman that he failed to heed the warning signs from Sakura who made her displeasure known.

"Sasuke! Get OUT!" she screamed punctuating the command with a wicked right cross which caused a bright flash of light and a crushing impact on the wall. For a brief moment the stunned thought of why stars were out in the middle of the day flashed through his concussed brain eclipsing the more pertinent question of where the eagle had gone. then he blacked out with the vision of a beautiful red headed woman reaching for him.

-ooOoo-

_Stretching his wings Sasuke flew high above the land. The green grasses and the tall trees spread out beneath him like a blanket of green and brown. Out over the vast ocean he flew through the sky, winging under a ceiling of bright blue with white clouds that stretched out as further then even his keen eyes could see; a distant horizon that beckoned him to far away places, and a future of unknown possibilities._

_Reaching for him across the sky was someone special; A beautiful young woman with soft pale skin, and long bright red hair which blew in the wind. She spread her arms up to him as she called out for him. He couldn't hear her voice but he felt it sounded familiar and so he descended to her but he seemed unable to reach her as if she were getting further away, and as he called out to her his voice was lost over a roiling storm as thunder and lightning clashed in the sky over head like a pair of titans fighting for dominance. _

_At the last instance as he felt himself being pulled away from her, a black bird flashed past him and the wild blowing winds seemed to calm themselves enabling him to right himself once again. As he looked around for what had happened his eyes widened as he heard a familiar voice whisper over the wind._

"_Foolish little brother."_

**

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**

**To be Continued**


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